Penn State York's THON Committee is partnering with the American Red Cross for a THON Blood Drive on Monday, Jan. 26 at Penn State York. The blood drive is from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Joe and Rosie Ruhl Student Community Center and is open to the public.

This April, the Penn State Student Red Cross Club challenges the Penn State community to donate blood in the fourth annual Fight for Life, a friendly battle with Ohio State to collect the most blood donations throughout the month.

Penn State Lehigh Valley will hold a blood drive on Jan. 28. The Miller-Keystone Blood Mobile will be at the campus in Center Valley to accept donations from students, faculty and staff. A sign-up sheet is located outside Room 214 (Student Affairs) for those interested in donating blood.

During Black History Month, three student organizations are working with the American Red Cross for the 10th annual Charles Drew Blood Donation Campaign: Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Iota and the Black Caucus.

Blood donors and potential entrants into Delete Blood Cancer, the bone marrow registry, are needed to diversify the blood supply and the registry. The blood drive and bone marrow registry are scheduled 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4, in the HUB-Robeson Center's Alumni Hall.

The Penn State Beaver Dance Marathon (THON) Committee is partnering with the Red Cross to host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 7, in the campus Student Union Building Lodge. For each person who donates blood, the Red Cross will donate $4 to THON to help with pediatric cancer research and provide support for patients and their families.

A partner with the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON) since 2001, the American Red Cross will make a $4 donation ($8 for double red) for each unit of blood given now through Feb. 16, the start of THON. Each cash donation will go to the Four Diamonds Fund in honor of each presenting donor. This donation can be credited to any THON-registered student organization's THON total.

On Jan. 24, the Communications, Arts and Science Graduate Forum will hold its 10th annual blood drive in memory of Amanda Kundrat, a graduate student in the program who died in 2003.

The drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 7 Sparks Building and will give the Penn State community the opportunity to honor her gentle spirit by giving the gift of life. Since 2003, people have donated more than 350 pints of blood in honor of Kundrat. For the past nine years, blood donated at this drive has given life to more than 1,000 individuals.

The 19th annual Penn State vs. Michigan State Blood Donor Challenge is heading into its final week, and the Nittany Lions have fallen behind by more than 300 units of blood. To overtake Michigan State, Penn State will need to collect almost 1,200 units of blood in the final five days of the drive, between Nov. 9 and 15.

Thanks to the unselfishness of the campus and community, Penn State New Kensington donated 43 units of blood during the semi-annual blood drive on Oct. 24. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends showed that the blue and white of Penn State could bleed red for the community. The donations helped increase the blood supply in the local community in the Alle-Kiski Valley. The staff of the Alle-Kiski Medical Center reported that not only did the red cell units increase their inventory, but that they were able to make platelets and fresh frozen plasma so several patients at AKMC could benefit from the one donation. Since 2006, the campus community and alumni have donated more than 600 units of blood to AKMC for use in the local area. The blood drive was made possible through the efforts of donors, canteen volunteers and Elaine Zarichnak, the campus nurse. The next campus blood drive is in April. Donors are eligible again in 56 days after giving, so the campus community doesn't have to wait until the spring drive to give blood.